The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of evening primrose which may be grown as a perennial plant in regions where it is hardy and as an annual bedding plant in regions where it is tender. The new cultivar is known botanically as Oenothera and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘LISHAL’.
The new cultivar ‘LISHAL’ was discovered in 2000 at a nursery in Hampshire, England as a naturally occurring branch sport on an individual whole plant of Oenothera ‘Crown Imperial’ (unpatented). The parent of ‘LISHAL’ is an individual plant of Oenothera ‘Crown Imperial’. The inventor has been unable to determine the nomenclature of the species of Oenothera ‘Crown Imperial’ since it does not closely resemble any variety or species of Oenothera known to the inventor.
The inventor discovered ‘LISHAL’ while taking cuttings from plants of Oenothera ‘Crown Imperial’ for subsequent propagation and production. Whereas the foliage of Oenothera ‘Crown Imperial’ is uniformly plain deep green in color, the leaves of the branch sport, ‘LISHAL’ were observed by the inventor to have a cream colored margin. The inventor considered that the branch sport may have commercial potential if it could be successfully asexually propagated and found to reproduce true to type. In 2001, the inventor excised the branch sport from its parent and took an internodal stem cutting from the excised plant material. The cutting was placed under mist on a heated bench, with bottom heat temperature of 21° Centigrade. The cutting rooted and was transplanted into a 9 cm container and was observed by the inventor. The inventor observed that the new plant possessed the characteristic cream colored margin of the originally discovered branch sport, ‘LISHAL’.
Since 2001, the inventor has carried out annual cycles of asexual propagation using stem cuttings and has determined that ‘LISHAL’ has remained stable and has reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The new cultivar ‘LISHAL’ is characterized by a basal rosetted crown with stiff upright stems and variegated foliage. The stems terminate with a corymb of bright yellow flowers. The foliage of ‘LISHAL’ remains evergreen in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 and higher, and dies back to the ground in colder regions.
The closest comparison plant known to the inventor is the parent cultivar Oenothera ‘Crown Imperial’ which may be distinguished as follows: Whereas the foliage of ‘Crown Imperial’ is uniformly and consistently plain deep green, the foliage of ‘LISHAL’ is variegated, namely mid green with a cream edge or margin.
The inventor filed an application for a grant of European Community Plant Variety Rights on Jul. 19, 2004, Ser. No. 2004/1385. The first plants of ‘LISHAL’ to be sold or offered for sale took place on or after May 1, 2005, by the inventor and from plants which had been growing at the inventor's nursery.